Crabapple tree named ‘JFS KW139MX’

ABSTRACT

A variety of crabapple which combines a combination of a tight upright oval growth habit, attractive red purple flowers, slightly glossy dark purple foliage in the spring and early summer, persistent small red fruit, and a strong resistance to the diseases fireblight and apple scab.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Malus.

Variety denomination: ‘JFS KW139MX’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the summer of 2000, as part of my tree breeding and selectionprogram, I selected a crabapple tree which I named ‘KW-31MX’(unpatented). ‘KW-31MX’ was a green-leafed tree with white flowers whichoriginated from open pollinated crabapple seed I had picked in the fallof 1994. ‘KW-31MX’ was a very promising tree, but I ultimately decidedthat it was not completely superior to existing commercial cultivars, soI decided to collect seed from it to continue my breeding line. I neverintroduced ‘KW-31MX’ and it was later destroyed. All of the above tookplace in a nursery in Boring, Oreg.

I collected open pollinated fruit from Malus ‘KW-31MX’ in the fall of2000 and extracted seed and I sowed the seed in beds in the nursery inBoring, Oreg. The seed germinated in the spring of 2001 and grew well.In February of 2002, I dug the resulting seedlings and kept 404 of themost vigorous plants. In April of 2002, I transplanted these 404 openpollinated seedlings of ‘KW-31MX’ into another bed. During the springand summer of 2002, I inoculated these seedlings with apple scab fungusand evaluated for resistance. In the fall of 2002, I marked the mostpromising 107 of these small trees which I dug, destroying the others.These 107 small trees were held in cold storage, then I transplanted thetrees into a row in May 2003. I grew these trees in the nursery row forthree seasons and evaluated them for form, flower quality, and diseaseresistance. In the fall of 2005, I marked the best 39 of these trees anddestroyed the others. I dug these 39 trees and transplanted them into anursery row on wider spacing in January, 2006. These 39 trees wereevaluated for two more growing seasons, and by the fall of 2007 I hadmarked seven of these to be kept, destroying the others.

One of these seven trees is the subject of the current application and Inamed it ‘JFS KW139MX’. It was selected and named because it possessedan outstanding and unique combination of bright reddish purple flowers,reddish purple new foliage color, extremely small red fruit, strongdisease resistance, and a desirable upright oval growth habit.

I dug the seven aforementioned trees and in February of 2008 and Iplanted them into a long term experimental evaluation block on widespacing. Of these remaining seven trees that derived from the openpollinated seed of ‘KW-31MX’, the present invention ‘JFS KW139MX’ wasthe only tree with reddish purple colored flowers and reddish purple newfoliage color. The other six trees all had white flowers and greenfoliage color and all were subsequently destroyed and were neverpatented or introduced as cultivars. All of the above trees were grownand selected in the same Boring, Oreg. nursery.

In the summers of 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2014, I collectedpropagating wood from the original ‘JFS KW139MX’ tree and directedasexual propagation by budding onto Malus rootstock in smallexperimental plots in a Canby, Oreg. nursery. This propagation resultedin 8, 10, 5, 8, and 8 trees, respectively. I evaluated these propagatedtrees in subsequent years and determined that these asexually propagatedplants show that the characteristics of my new tree are firmly fixed andidentical to my original tree in every manner that has been observed. Ofthese propagated trees, one was planted in a long term evaluation blockin the Boring, Oreg. nursery in February 2013.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This new cultivar possesses a unique combination of characteristics thathave proven firmly fixed in asexually propagated progeny and thatcomprise a combination of a upright oval growth habit, a consistentbranch angle on two year old nursery trees, attractive reddish purpleflowers, reddish purple spring foliage, unusually small persistentfruit, and strong resistance to the diseases fireblight and apple scab.

For testing purposes only, four trees were sent, two each, tocooperators in Ohio and North Carolina in 2011, and four trees weresent, two each, to cooperators in New York and Wisconsin in 2013. Thesetrees were sent under the conditions of a non-propagation andnon-distribution agreement. In the Spring of 2018 the land where theoriginal ‘JFS KW139MX’ tree stood had to be cleared for futureplantings, and the original ‘JFS KW139MX’ tree was destroyed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The colors of an illustration of this type may vary with lightingconditions and, therefore, color characteristics of this new varietyshould be determined with reference to the observations describedherein, rather than from these illustrations alone.

FIG. 1: Shows the original tree in flower at 6 years of age withemerging foliage

FIG. 2: Shows a close-up of the flowers on the original tree.

FIG. 3: Shows a close up of a few flowers on a display board with ascale.

FIG. 4: Shows 2 year old trial trees in flower.

FIG. 5: Shows mid-summer foliage on a display board with scale.

FIG. 6: Shows a close up of the original tree at 8 years of age withfruit

FIG. 7: Shows a close-up of fruit on a display board with a scale.

FIG. 8: Shows a close-up of fruit halved on a display board with ascale.

FIG. 9: Shows a dormant branch tip on a display board with a scale.

FIG. 10: Shows a tree at 8 years of age without foliage during thewinter.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description of the ‘JFS KW139MX’ variety is basedon observations of the original tree growing in Boring, Oreg. and of twoand three year old asexually reproduced progeny. The observed progenywere trees which were growing in Canby, Oreg. Color descriptions aremade with reference to The Royal Horticultural Society (London) ColourChart© 1986, except where ordinary dictionary significance of color isindicated.

-   Scientific name: Malus ‘JFS KW139MX’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Seed parent.—Open pollinated seedling of Malus ‘KW-31MX’.        -   Pollen parent.—Unknown.-   Tree:    -   -   Overall shape.—Upright oval.        -   Height.—At 8 years of age, about 6 meters high.        -   Width.—At 8 years of age 3 meters spread.        -   Caliper (trunk diameter).—At 8 years of age, about 106 mm at            100 mm height, 96 mm at 1 m height.        -   Trunk.—Strong and straight under nursery growing conditions.        -   Trunk bark texture.—Smooth, some vertical fissures with age.        -   Trunk bark color.—Grey Brown 199A to Brown 200D.        -   Immature bark color.—Red Purple 71A.        -   Mature bark color.—Purple 79C to Purple 77C.        -   Lenticels.—Elongated to oval 0.75 mm×0.25 mm. Greyed Yellow            161A in color.        -   Branch color.—Purple 79A to Violet 86A.        -   Branch lenticels.—Similar to those on the trunk.        -   Dormant buds.—Elongated oval with acute tip, imbricate            scales, 2 mm×4 mm.        -   Internodes.—Average internode length is about 35-40 mm on a            one-year old shoots.        -   Hardiness.—Has tolerated temperatures to 10 degrees F. in            Boring Oreg. which is the lowest temperature experienced in            this location. It is believed to have zone 4 cold hardiness            similar to other plants of the same species.        -   Disease resistance.—Excellent resistance to fireblight,            powdery mildew & apple scab on foliage and fruit.-   Leaves: Except as otherwise noted, observations are from twenty    vigorous growth leaves.    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Type.—Simple, entire, or with 1 to 2 lobes.        -   Texture.—Smooth, with slight undulation between the veins.        -   Sheen.—Glossy.        -   Length.—Averaging 90 mm-110 mm.        -   Width.—Averaging 4 5mm to 55 mm.        -   Petioles.—20 mm to 25 mm long, about 1-2 mm in diameter.        -   Overall shape.—Ovate, sometimes with 1 or 2 side lobes.        -   Margin.—Serrulate.        -   Tip.—Acute.        -   Base.—Broadly acute to rounded.        -   Stipules.—Two per leaf, 10 mm to 15 mm long by 2 mm to 3 mm            wide.        -   Spring leaf color.—Greyed Purple 187A.        -   Summer leaf color.—Upper leaf surface: Greyed Purple 187A to            187D turning to Green 139A with age by midsummer. Lower leaf            surface: Greyed Purple 183A to Greyed Purple 184A. Vein: Red            Purple 59A to 59B.        -   Fall leaf color.—Foliage turns Orange Red 31A to Orange Red            34A.        -   Fall color begins.—November 1^(st) (Boring, Oreg. 2018).        -   Fall color peak.—November 20^(th) (Boring, Oreg. 2018).        -   Fall color ends.—December 1st (Boring, Oreg. 2018).        -   Pubescence.—None.        -   Persistence.—Tree is deciduous.-   Flowers:    -   -   Overall.—Number of flowers per cluster: 5 to 6.        -   Shape.—Symmetrical, rounded, 5 petals, not cupped.        -   Size.—Approximately 32 mm to 37 mm in diameter.        -   Unopened bud.—Red Purple 60A to Red Purple 60C.        -   Petals.—Five petals per flower, 7 mm to 80 mm wide×15 to 17            mm long. Color Red Purple 60C fading to 62C.        -   Sepals.—Acute, length 2 mm×4 mm at base. Red Purple 60B.        -   Stamen.—About 18 to 22 stamens, 6 mm to 8 mm arranged            concentrically around pistil. Red Purple 63A.        -   Anthers.—Greyed Orange 164A. 1 mm to 1.5 mm long by 0.25 mm            to 0.5 mm in diameter.        -   Pistil.—Red Purple 62C compound, 3 to 5 branched, length 4            mm-7 mm. Ovary inferior, typically five carpels.        -   Pollen.—Yellow Orange 22C.        -   Pedicel.—28 mm to 34 mm long by 0.4 mm to 0.5 mm in            diameter. Red Purple 60A to 60B.        -   Pubescence.—Yes on the upper side of the sepal.        -   Fragrance.—Slightly sweet.        -   Flowering date.—In Boring, Oreg. 2018. First bloom April            8th, peak bloom April 14th, last bloom May 1st.-   Fruit: Observations are from a sampling of typical fruit.    -   -   Cluster.—3 to 5 fruits per cluster.        -   Size.—Typical fruit is 8 mm to 10 mm in diameter by 7 mm to            8 mm long.        -   Shape.—Flattened oval, wider than long.        -   Skin.—Smooth.        -   Lenticels.—None observed.        -   Color.—Immature summer fruit is Yellow Green 145A ripening            to Red 46A to 43B in October.        -   Seeds.—Typically 2-3 per fruit, ovoid to rounded, 3 mm long            and about 2 mm wide with a smooth surface, Greyed Orange            164A to Greyed Orange 164B in color.        -   Fruit production.—Moderate to heavy depending on the year.        -   Fruit persistence.—90% still persistent Nov. 20, 2018.        -   Usage.—Ornamental, non-edible.

COMPARISON TO THE SEED PARENT

Compared to the seed parent tree ‘KW-31MX’, my new cultivar, ‘JFSKW139MX’, has fruit which is 7-8 mm in diameter, ripens to Red 46A toRed 43B and persists with good ornamental quality. ‘KW-31MX’ has 10-12mm diameter fruit that ripens to yellow. In addition, ‘JFS KW139MX’ hasGreyed Purple 187A to 187D summer foliage, ‘KW-31MX’ has green foliage.

COMPARISON TO OTHER SIMILAR VARIETIES: Malus ‘Durleo’ Malus ‘PurplePrince’ Malus U.S. Plant U.S. Plant ‘JFS KW139MX’ Pat. No. 20,167 Pat.No. 8,478 Form Upright tight oval Compact Rounded upright oval. Leaf 90mm to 110 mm 85 mm 90 mm to 120 mm Length Leaf Width 45 mm to 55 mm 43mm 50 mm to 75 mm Petiole 20-25 mm 27 mm 20 mm-30 mm Spring GreyedPurple Green 143B Red Purple 60A Upper Leaf 187A Color Branch Purple 79Ato Greyed Purple Purple 176A Color Violet 86A 183B to 177A Bark onSmooth, some Bole like bumps Becomes rough trunk vertical fissures. withage some vertical fissures Branch 40-50 degrees 60-70 degrees 30-60degrees Angle on 2YR Trees Fruit Color Red 46A to Red Purple 59A Purple185A Red 43B Fruit Size 7 to 8 mm long × 10 mm × 10 mm 12 to 15 mm × 8-9mm wide 12-15 mm Fruit Shape Flattened oval, Round Round wider than long

COMPARISON OF AVERAGE INTERNODE LENGTH

When compared to the following commercial ornamental crab applevarieties ‘JFS KW139’ has longer average internode lengths.

Cultivar Average internode length Malus ‘JFS KW139MX’ 35-40 mm Malus‘JFS-KW5’ 25-30 mm (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,375) Malus ‘Purple Prince’30-35 mm (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,478) Malus ‘Perfect Purple’ (unpatented)25-30 mm Malus ‘Spring Snow’ (unpatented) 30-35 mm Malus ‘Prairiefire’(unpatented) 30-35 mm Malus ‘Profusion’ (unpatented) 25-30 mm

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of crabapple tree, as hereinillustrated and described.